April 25 2012

9:35 PM

Throughout my tenure as the Fantasy columnist for PGATOUR.COM,
there's been a bit of a misconception that because of the
connection, I'm privy to the reasons why golfers withdraw between
the commitment deadline and their tee times in the first round. To
wit, here's an email that arrived on Tuesday afternoon:

What happened to [Brandt] Snedeker? He was on [the] list
on Monday; on Tuesday he is gone. -- Larry

Unless there is published or broadcast information offering an
explanation, I'm left to speculate as much as you. Some readers
aren't aware that the touring pros are independent contractors
allowed to set their own schedules, so that education alone serves
as an acceptable response.

This is the second time this season that Snedeker has withdrawn
early in the week of a tournament to which he committed. He also
pulled out of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. (He
returned the following week at the Northern Trust Open.)

Unless there is documented information to support that a guy is
banged up or ill (e.g. Anthony Kim, Boo Weekley), I'll chalk up
early WDs to reasons that don't concern us. Fantasy golf is
peppered with all kinds of learning curves. Unlike team sports when
an athlete is scratched due to injury, you can't draw the same
parallel in golf.

Whenever there is information available on a medical or personal
issue and it has relevance, I will usually share it in one of my
features. Worst case, you'll find it in "Medic!" in my fantasy
preview.